1. The West Indies

2. The United States is dividing into regions by similar physical features, climate, economy, traditions, and history.

3. The West Indies is a chain of islands that divide the Caribbean Sea from the rest of the Atlantic Ocean.

4. The islands stretch about 2000 miles from southern Florida in the United States to the northern coast of Venezuela.

5. The West Indies is made up of 3 major island groups: The Greater Antilles, Lesser Antilles, and Bahamas.

6. A similar feature of the region is the climate
A similar feature of the region is the climate. The islands of the West Indies have a warm, tropical climate. Hurricanes frequently strike this region in the late summer and early fall. There is also volcanic eruption activity in this region.

7. The region grows products like bananas, cacao, citrus fruits, coffee, spices, sugar cane, and tobacco.

8. In 1942, Christopher Columbus became the first European to reach the islands when he landed on an island believed to be present-day San Salvador in the Bahamas.

9. Vocabulary Words

10. Bahamas – consists of over 3000 small islands that are not geographically located in the Caribbean, but are included in the region

11. dependency – land and waters controlled by state, nation, or government

12. Greater Antilles – an island group of the West Indies including Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti), and Puerto Rico (U.S.)

13. Lesser Antilles – an island group of the West Indies including eight countries and eight dependencies

14. region – an area of land or water with certain characteristics that make it different from other areas

15. West Indies – an island chain that divides the Caribbean Sea from the rest of the Atlantic Ocean

16. Answers

17. 1. Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean
MONDAY
1. Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean
2. Greater Antilles and Lesser Antilles

18. 1. Off the southeast coast of Florida
TUESDAY
1. Off the southeast coast of Florida
2. Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica

19. 1. 8 countries and 8 dependencies
WEDNESDAY
1. 8 countries and 8 dependencies
2. Dominican Republic and Haiti

20. 1. Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
THURSDAY
1. Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
2. France, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom

21. 1. Columbia, Mexico, United States, and Venezuela
FRIDAY
1. Columbia, Mexico, United States, and Venezuela
2. Cuba; Greater Antilles